Letters and Papers submitted to the Council, by the Governour

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At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Thursday, 4th August, 1774,

Present: The Honourable John Penn, Esquire, Governour, Benjamin Chew, James Tilghman, Andrew Allen, Esquires.

The Governour laid before the Board two Letters which he received within these three days from Captain St˙ Clair, at Ligonier, dated the 22d and 26th July, with sundry papers enclosed relative to Indian and other affairs in Westmoreland. And the same being read and considered, the Council advised the Governour to order a town to be immediately laid out in the Proprietary Manor at Kittaning, for the accommodation of the traders and other inhabitants of Pittsburgh, whom, by Captain St˙ Clair' s advices would be under the necessity of removing from that town on account of the oppressive proceedings of the Virginians.

It appearing also by the intelligence contained in the above mentioned letters that though the disposition of the Shawanese and Delaware tribes of Indians towards the people of this Province, were entirely pacifick, the former tribe had separated themselves from the latter, and were removed to the Lower Shawanese Towns, on the Scioto, in order to prepare themselves for war against the people of Virginia, who seemed determined to pursue hostile measures with those Indians. It was the opinion of the Council that it would be proper for this Government immediately to despatch Messages to both those tribes, expressing our great concern at the late disturbances and the friendly disposition of this Government towards them, and earnestly advising the Shawanese to a reconciliation with the Virginians; and that a Letter be also wrote to the Earl of Dunmore, recommending to him to accommodate the unhappy differences between the Colony of Virginia and the Indians.

Mr˙ Tilghman and Mr˙ Allen were appointed a Committee to prepare draughts of the above Letter and Messages.